by Peach, Hanna
Alyx saw nothing around her for several moments, just mist. Then it began to clear, drawing back to reveal a huge crowd of Seraphim blinking and staring around as if woken from a dream. From where she stood at the front, they were a sea of faces.
The DreamWalkers had chosen not to fill the DreamScape with anything else except for them. The floor of this DreamScape was a flat white. The edge of the DreamScape faded into swirling walls and a ceiling of soft cloud.
“Where are we?”
“What’s going on?”
Mutterings could be heard throughout the Seraphim.
“I can answer your questions,” Alyx said. She was surprised to hear her voice echo loudly through the air as if there was a microphone in front of her lips. Part of the DreamScape, she supposed.
“You’ll forgive the suddenness of this DreamScape. We felt we had no choice. Elder Michael has called you all to battle. But we understand he hasn’t told you what he plans to do.”
“It’s not our place to question the Elders, girl,” someone called out.
“Even if he is wrong?” She scanned the restless crowd. “Elder Michael has stolen and manipulated his way into gathering all three pieces of the Trinity Amulet, an Amulet that will allow him to control Lucifer’s army. Now he has the keye that will unlock Hell.”
Several gasps could be heard throughout the DreamScape.
“Elder Michael plans to wipe this entire planet clear of any living mortal and of any Seraphim who disagrees with him.” Her voice rang with more confidence than she felt. But that was one of the tricks, wasn’t it? For anyone else to have faith in her, she had to appear to have complete faith in herself and her plan. Any lack of confidence would be a crack in the vase, a weak point that would eventually cause the whole thing to collapse.
“Why should we believe you, Alyxandria? Born without a last name. Traitor. Rogue!” a voice called out. Varian stepped out among the crowd. Here was the “crack”. Varian scanned the crowd and they pressed back from around him. His reputation was such that even his presence in this DreamScape caused fear in the hearts of many. Alyx swallowed as Varian landed his eyes on her. “What gives you the right to speak out against Elder Michael, the most revered and oldest among our Elders?”
“The truth gives me the right. The truth can come from anyone, no matter what their birthright or status. So can a lie. Isn’t it true that Elder Michael has been preaching against the mortals?”
There were mumbles of agreement throughout the crowd.
Alyx continued, “Now Elder Michael has sought to put himself in charge even above Elders Uriel and Gabriel. By force! What gives him the right?”
“That’s a lie,” Varian cried out. “Elder Michael was given an overriding authority by the other Elders in these tumultuous times.”
“They are not lies,” a familiar booming voice called out. “She speaks the truth.” Gasps could be heard spreading through the crowd of Seraphim as a thickset, dark-haired Elder stepped forward, the crowd parting to give him space and bowing towards him. It was Elder Gabriel, one of the three Originals and the leader of Gabriela.
Elder Gabriel moved out of the front of the crowd and stood in front of her. “Elder Gabriel.” Alyx swallowed, dipping her head to him as a sign of respect.
Elder Gabriel gave her the smallest of chin nods back. He turned to address the crowd. “Elder Michael stormed into my office earlier today and took leadership from me, locking me even now in my chambers, guards at my doors, a prisoner in my own city, saying only, ‘It’s for the best’. Who’s best?”
“But Michael wants to free us,” said Varian. “He wants to free us from our cities. To allow us to roam free across this planet without fear of being seen by the mortals.”
“Will you accept this ‘freedom’,” Alyx cried, “in exchange for the destruction of an entire species, a species that we were created to protect? Would you be happy to roam ‘free’ across Earth’s vast lands if you knew that land was soaked in blood?”
Mumbles could be heard across the crowd.
“And who gets to control this planet if Michael is allowed to ‘free’ us?” asked Alyx. “Michael has told me himself that he plans to rule us. He will let you live in his new world so long as you obey his every word. Is Michael really offering you freedom? Or just slavery with bigger cells?”
“So you want us to follow you?” someone said. “You want to rule us?”
“No. I don’t want to rule anyone. I want you to think for yourself, Seraphim. Think about what you have seen and what you have heard and what you know…make up your own minds. If you follow anyone, anyone, blindly, you are not a Seraphim, you are a mental slave. Cast off your shackles. Know your own minds!”
A growing tremble began in the crowd, hushed but full of promise. The energy of the DreamScape began to lift, the energy of a thousand minds all waking, clearing out the dust and webs. Alyx could feel it and the moment filled her chest with hope.
But could these Seraphim break past the habits of a lifetime? Would action follow intention? Would it be enough to defeat Michael?
“When you go to battle, we will be there,” said Alyx. “Meet us at the largest Hell Gate in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, and together we will stop Michael from opening it and unleashing Hell upon this Earth. Anyone who decides to fight for our side, tie something white onto your arms when the fighting begins and we’ll know who you are.”
“Well, well, well. Aren’t you a brave one?” Elder Michael’s voice boomed across the DreamScape. “Do you think that any of my people would be stupid enough to fight for you?”
“They don’t belong to you.”
“Well, how about this…” Michael spun to address the crowd. Those nearest to him backed away, creating more of a space around him as he stood alone in the center. “Whoever of you decide to fight against me, I will come for you and I will personally make your last moments on Earth hell.”
Fear rumbled throughout the crowd. Alyx was losing them.
“You don’t scare us, Michael,” she yelled. “Together we will stop you.”
“This’ll be fun.” Michael grinned. He stretched out his hands. With his fingers he grabbed the DreamScape, causing the air and the ground around him to ripple as if he was pulling at a cloth backdrop. The crowd gasped. Even Alyx had to gape in horror. Michael was stronger than any Seraphim she had ever seen. “Let’s see you try.”
Michael yanked his fists. There was a sound like an explosion and the DreamScape tore apart.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Mist swirled around Israel as he spun, trying to figure out where he was. He had been stuck in a nothingness sleep and then suddenly he wasn’t. But he wasn’t awake now either.
Dammit, he recognized this place. He had first been introduced to this nowhere-place when he had been in a coma because of that demon poison. How did he get here? He searched his memory, but parts of his mind were still hazy. Slowly his last memory became clear.
Israel fought against Tii’la, managing to clock her in the jaw with his elbow. Her arms let go of him and for a second he thought he might be free but she quickly wrapped her legs around him instead. He was rapidly losing strength.
Israel’s eyes flicked open and shut as he fought the darkness for as long as he could, staring at Sparrow, who was now just flashes of color disappearing through the trees towards the castle. Then he couldn’t hold on anymore.
Tii’la. She had betrayed him.
And Alyx…Tii’la had gone to Atlantis with Alyx but Alyx hadn’t come back.
Where was Alyx?
Israel tried to contact her through their bond. As it had been the last time he found himself here, he couldn’t reach her.
Please, he begged to the nothingness around him, don’t let her be dead.
“Israel,” a familiar voice came through the darkness. The slim figure of the Elder pushed through the mist. His green eyes twinkled in a face that appeared of a man not more than his late thirties, although Israel
knew the Elder had seen the dawn of time. Hell, the Elder probably was the one to wake “time” up. The Elder moved towards him; he did everything seamlessly, graceful like the wind and light as air.
The Elder stopped in front of him and spoke, a serious look on his face. “We have got to stop meeting like this. Alyx might get suspicious.”
Israel raised an eyebrow. “Did you just make a joke?”
He laughed. But it quickly faded. “Jokes aside…I know about your predicament, Israel. I know Michael has you.”
“How is it that you always know what is going on before anyone else does?”
“I just do.”
“And Alyx? What of her? Is she…” Dead? Please say anything but dead.
“Alyx is preparing to go to war for you right at this very minute. Lives will be sacrificed to save you. She will need your help to defeat Michael.”
Israel let this all wash over him. The gravity of it sank into his very bones.
“Are you ready, Israel?”
“Ready for more training?”
“This isn’t just training. It will be the most important thing you will ever learn in your life so that you can do the most important thing you will ever have to do.”
“No pressure,” Israel muttered.
The Elder waved his hand and this nowhere-place suddenly filled with light. Candlelight. Hundreds upon hundreds of candles. Perhaps even a thousand. Israel remembered the last time the Elder made him train with candles when he was with the Elder at his monastery home in China.
Israel looked down at the single candle in front of him, then around him. The flame before him was still alight. But about half of the candles around the room had been extinguished.
“I did it,” Israel said, and he felt a little bubble of joy well up inside him.
“Did you?”
“I did. I accessed the power. I accessed my gift.”
“Of course. It is part of you. But now see,” the Elder spoke from behind him. Israel turned to face him. “See how anger causes you to use that energy inside you.” The Elder waved his cane around the room.
Israel felt the bubble of joy dissipate in exasperation. “So I didn’t snuff out that one stupid candle. But look at how much power I was able to create. Look at how many other candles I was able to extinguish.”
“Imagine that the candle in front of you was someone you had to fight against and the candles around the room were those you love. What say you now?”
Israel felt the blood drain from his face when he realized what the Elder was saying. He stared at his hands. He noticed the veins showing through the paler skin on his wrists. His veins, filled with demon blood. And now that demon power he had unleashed was uncontrollable. What if he unleashed it on someone he cared about? Like Mason and the boys. Or Alyx?
“How...how do I fix this?”
“There is a greater power than anger. And unlike anger which controls you, this power is given strength through your direction. You must learn to use that instead.”
“What is it? What is this power? Knowledge? Truth?”
“I cannot tell you. You must learn it for yourself.”
Israel came back to the present when the Elder spoke. “Blow out that candle, over there.” The Elder pointed to one of the hundred or so candles in this nowhere-place.
“I can do more complicated magic than that.”
“Regardless. I just want one blown out at first.”
Israel nodded. So practiced was he that he didn’t even have to lift his hands now to perform magic. He just thought the air around the candle to blow it out, and it did. A thin wisp of smoke rose from the blackened wick.
“Now two at the same time. This one and that one.” The Elder pointed out his targets.
Israel commanded the air around the two small flames. Again they blew out without disturbing any of the other flames around them. The Elder continued to increase the complexity of his exercises in blowing the candles out. Israel did each task without questioning and without a mistake.
“Good,” the Elder said finally. “You’ve been practicing.”
Israel beamed, pride making his chest feel full. “I have.” He wiped the few beads of sweat from his forehead.
“Now, this candle,” the Elder pointed to one right in front of Israel, “instead of snuffing the candle out, I need you to breathe into it.”
“What?”
“Infuse it with your energy, your magic. If you’ve done it right the flame will grow bigger.”
“Can…can I do that?”
The Elder gave him a look containing so much gravity that Israel felt the weight of it on his shoulders. “You can. And you must.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
While Alyx was in her bedroom preparing her battle gear, she heard a soft knock on her door. She looked up from stitching a tear on her old warrior’s jacket to find Jordan standing there.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
Alyx swallowed. It didn’t turn out so well the last time she and Jordan had been alone. “What do you need?”
Jordan held up several vials of blood. “Moloko was too tired from the blood donation and she wanted to lie down. I said I’d bring her MirageWeaver to you.”
“Oh. Of course. Come in.”
Jordan moved to her bedside where he placed the vials on her table, right on Israel’s copy of Count of Monte Cristo. Alyx stood up, shoving her jacket aside, because it felt strange to have him standing so close while she was sitting on her bed. The bed that Israel and she shared.
“You should have more than enough MirageWeaver here,” he said.
“Great. Thanks.”
“I have something else for you.” Jordan held out another vial of deep red blood to her. “It’s mine.”
Alyx knew what he meant instantly. He had donated his own blood, his own magic, to her. Her stomach twisted the way it did when Jordan did anything nice for her. She never knew whether she should accept it. What did he mean by this gift? Did he mean to guilt her? Was he trying to win her over again? “Oh gosh. You shouldn’t have.”
“I wanted to.” When Alyx didn’t take the vial Jordan pulled his hand back and placed his DreamWalker on the bedside next to the MirageWeaver. “I labeled the vials so you don’t get them mixed up. I hope this helps you get to Michael and Israel in time.”
Alyx studied Jordan’s smile. It looked genuine. She found no bitterness in Jordan’s words or tone. Could he really be moving on? She smiled in return. “Thanks, Jordan.”
“No problem.”
“And not just for this.” She indicated the vial on the bedside. “Thanks for supporting me with the DreamWalkers.”
“Anytime.”
The air went still between them. The ghost of a feeling fluttered through her heart before it faded behind a strong thudding heartbeat that she knew beat in time with Israel’s. Alyx made an awkward clearing noise in her throat and turned away. “I should keep getting ready.”
“Alyx, before I go I want…”
Alyx froze. Dear God please no. Please don’t make me turn you down again. Please don’t force me to defend my love for Israel again.
Jordan tried again, “Before I go I want to call a…a reset between us.”
“A reset?” Alyx stared at him, trying to decipher the meaning in his words from his expression, but his expression was guarded and she found she couldn’t read him. Not anymore.
“Yes,” he said slowly. “Can we hit the reset button on our friendship? Go back to being the way it was before…before…you know?”
Alyx swallowed hard and looked away. She loved Israel with everything she was. But her brief affair with Jordan was still uncomfortably fresh in her mind. Being around Jordan, even as a friend, just reminded her of what she did to Israel. The guilt was too much. “I…I don’t know,” she managed.
“Please.”
She was about to refuse him, when she saw a slip of pain underneath Jordan’s expression. Oh God. How selfish and self-centered s
he had been. She had been so wrapped up in her own feelings of guilt and awkwardness that she hadn’t even stopped to consider what Jordan was feeling. Her feelings for Jordan had been displaced, having not been strong enough to displace the ones that were true. But he would still be trying to move on from her. Her guilt would be nothing compared to what he had to deal with. How brave of him to ask for her friendship. She would not refuse it.
Her guardedness faded. She resolved to stop avoiding Jordan and to mend their friendship. There would be no more awkwardness between them, at least not from her.
“A reset. That sounds great.” She stuck her hand out. “Friends?”
* * *
“Friends?” Jordan heard Alyx say.
And there it was. The death knell. The final bell toll for their “almost was but never should have been” romance, bright, brief and fleeting, like a shooting star. Maybe that’s all it was ever meant to be.
Jordan gave her a lopsided smile and took her hand. “Friends.”
They shook. In that solemn ritual a line was drawn in the sand between “what could have been” and “what was”. There would still be a long way to go to move their friendship back to the way it was, but at least now it felt like they had made a good start.
As Jordan left Alyx in her room to prepare for battle himself, he realized that his heart didn’t ache as he expected it would. Instead there was a kind of release, a relief, which lightened his heart. Odd. Perhaps all he needed was closure. Perhaps he was truly getting over her.
* * *
“I know what I’m doing, Piki,” Sparrow said as he moved through the halls of Cleo’s mansion. Piki fluttered around him, fussing as usual. “You’re always doubting me, but you’ll see. They’ll all see.”
Piki responded more with twittering.
“She will. She will say yes.”